Learning from Labor: The Impact of Compensation on the Undergraduate Internship Experience
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Authors
Meno, Stephen
Date
2023-12-01
Type
Dissertation
Language
en
Keywords
Alternative Title
Abstract
AN ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION OF
Stephen N. Meno for the degree of Doctor of Education in Learning, Leadership, and
Community presented on November 14, 2023
Title: Learning from Labor: The Impact of Compensation on the Undergraduate
Internship Experience
Abstract approved:
Scott J. Mantie, Dissertation Committee Chair
The level of supervision an intern receives during an internship has been shown to
impact the quality of the student learning experience. However, there is evidence that
unpaid undergraduate interns receive less supervision due to a variety of factors. The
purpose of this mixed-methods study is to understand the relationship that university
funds for unpaid internships have on the quality of an intern’s learning experience, which
may retain some of the poorer characteristics of unpaid internships. Data was collected
through an online survey that measured student’s perception of their internship
experience through a series of Likert scale questions and three open-ended questions.
Participant recruitment was done with the assistance of career service professionals who
manage internship programs, as well as advertising the survey on LinkedIn and
professional listservs. Statistical and qualitative analysis were used to interpret data from
144 undergraduate student participants who did an internship between January 2022 and
July 2023 that was paid, unpaid, or supported by a university stipend. The findings
support that compensation does impact the internship learning experience, especially
regarding an intern’s satisfaction with their experience, and the amount of knowledge
they gain. However, the findings also suggest that the source of compensation does not
directly correspond to the quality of supervision an intern receives. Implications for
practice of career service professionals are discussed.